Universal joint



Jan. 6, 1948. F. c. GOOD 2,433,948

- UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed Aug. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Jan.6,194s. Y F. c. GOOD 2,433,948

UNIVERSAL JOINT 4 Filed Aug. 20, 1943 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1948 '1 STATE S PATENT OFF] C 2,43s,94s

Frederick (3003, Philadelphia, Pa. ixppiieahtn August 20, 194%, serial 499,311

The present invention relates tb a universal fioint and has for its pres 1y object a eonstfue: tion "of -j Binttha't may *be more some ic'all'y mam ufa'otured and whi v r e can: struc'tioh and will Withstahd greater shes the use thereof. 7

object bf the invention *resiaes in the sew struction and "design "or the various 1: and their mode of ass-"ant1a'ge whereby the tarts may be more readily maehihe'd and "shaped arfd in'ore quickly Bissel'rflol'd. While "at tmsame time aunt-mg to the ruggedness hr "the joint. w

:Basiai ly, the invention eensists of in sanor couplers haying coh'oavities is ad-justably mounted hall having erreurererentiany eX-'- tending intersecting :grooves, and ova forms of clips detaehably 'se'cure'd to the eou'pl rigs and en circling the ball in adjustable relationship with the Walls of the grooves of the hall.

An additi'onal feature "or the invention resides in the novel features of a 'cover whereby the jtiiht may be protected and lubricant forced i'nto e'fieetive engagement with movable parts "or the Joint.

in order that the inventiin and its fn'ode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, -I have, in the accompanying hrawings and in the Tdetaiteu desc'r on based thereupon, set out a possible embodiment Of the invention.

In "these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of joint illustrating the semen cover in tress section;

:Figure 2 is -a-1ongitudinal segtional view;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the tron-t face portion of one of the couplers; v

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the slip;

Figure 5 is a side elevation'of the ball;

Figurefi is a cross sectional view of the flexible 'coyer detached from the joint;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the never am .i Figure Sis a side elevation of another form of the-invention; W U Figure 9 is a longitudinal-sectional view *o'fthat form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is "a s'ide elev''azticin0 f the clip shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an elevation hf the front i-abe portion of -'one of the couplers shown in Figure 9;;

Figure *12 is a side elevation of an'othe'r anodification of the invention;

Figure 13 is a longitudinal sectional View of the Referrer-"g to the drawings and particular-1y to that forrn 5f the nyention shown in Figures '1 t6 '7,-inc-1usi'v"e,the humeral's I and 2 designate of staplers preferably of cylindrical out= he in'achining the're'q'f and each eon sting 'of a be '3 and ahead *4 that is provided with a ezsneavity 's in the front face 6 thereof, and a bore 1. Each head 4 is "provided with a pair of holes '8 inclining relative to each d relative tothe aiiis of the couplers 'for other the the se herein'art'er explained.

AdJusta bly mounted in the toncavities "s of the counters a ball 9 havin'g circuniferentiallyeitt'end'i-n}; ters'et'iting grooves 10 and I I, each-of which is preferably of circular cross section for the purpese hereinafter set forth.

' Adj-ust'ably "associated with each ball and a ttachaibly and aetaehabiy connect d to each cou- 'pler is a pair of eonneotor's or c1i'ps l'2 and 13, e'aeh 0f Y hap'ed formation to provide substan tiai y paralleling prongs l4 and I5 and ajy'oke I6 c'oniredting theprhngs together and arrangedin a groove "of the ball 9. The yoke I6 is provided with ehamfered surfaces H for the purpose of showing a greater 'an'gmar adjustment between the teuplers.

The clipsare circular in Cross section "so as to eenfdrm wit the 'tiiieular "formation or the grooves T0 a 61 TI and the pron-gs HI and I5 are sprung towards each other and forced through the holes "8, thereby bringing about a more rigid fcoiine'titidn between the clips and the couplers. For the purpose of more securely attaching the chins to the couplers, the free end portions 18 are eiitended a slight distance beyond the holes -8 and upset, as shown at [9. It -is ,;of course, to be understood that these end portions It! may be electrically spot-welded or mutilated in various manhere to assure the desiredconnection.

In the use of the joint, it is advantageous to cover and protect the movable parts and, further, subject the same to a lubricating action. For this purpose, there is provided a flexible cover '20 which, as shown in Figure 6, is constructed of a flexible material of any desired character, but preferably of rubber. This cover 2D is provided with beads :21 and=22 removably mounted in grooves 23 and =24 provided in the couplers and secured the rooves ey-clamps 2 5. Each-Clamp consists of a split annular band 26 that presses a bead in the groove and an annular split flange 21 that embraces a portion of the body portion 28 of the cover so as to provide a more efiective engagement between the cover and the couplers and, in addition, reinforce the cover against distortion in the use thereof.

In the use of the joint, a lubricant is arranged in the cover 20. When the universal joint is in straight position with the couplers l and 2 in axial alignment, the various relatively movable parts of the joint are substantially free of working or rubbing action against each other. When the joint is deflected and the couplers I and 2 are angularly related, a substantial portion of the cover 20 hugs the outside angle of the joint for pressing a group of ribs 29 against the joint to confine the lubricant against the joint and force the lubricant through and between working or rubbing surfaces of the various relatively movable parts of the joint.

Referring to the modification shown in Figures 8 to 11 inclusive, the couplers 30 and 3| are similar in construction to the couplers and 2 with the exception that slots or recesses 33 and 34 are provided in the front faces of the couplers and these recesses communicate with the concavities of the couplers. The ball 32 is similar in construction to the ball with the exception that the grooves are not circular in cross section.

A novel feature of the joint shown in Figures 8 and 9 resides in the construction of the connectors orclips 35 and 36and the mode of connection of the clips to'thecouplers.

As clearly shown in Figure 10, each clip consists of a ring-shaped portion 37 having chamfered surfaces 38 and integral wings 39 and 49 that are removably mounted in the recesses 33 and'34. The clip is further provided'with a cylindrical shank 4| removably mounted in the bore 42 of theassociated coupler. This shank 4| is split to provide the lugs 43 and 44, each of which is provided with an arcuate groove 45 and a flange 46 adapted to move into interlocking engagement with the shoulder 41 provided by the associated coupler. A wedge element in the form of a tapering pin 48 is provided and this pin is driventhrough the associated coupler and into wedging engagement with the walls of the groove 4550 as to separate the lugs and move the flange 46 into interlocking or abutting engagement with the shoulder 41.

In relation to the modification shown in Figures 12 to 14 inclusive, the connectors or clips 49 are somewhat modified in construction in that they are of uniform thickness and the lugs 50 and 5| are square or oblong in crosssection, and are not provided with flanges for interlocking engagement with the shoulder provided by the coupler. The clips 49 are provided with wings 52 seated in slots 53 in the coupler so as to assure a more rigid connection between the clips and the coupler. v j

From the foregoing, it is evident that a very substantial rugged type of universal joint is provided having the'maximum amount of universal movement. The manufacturing and assembly cost is materially reduced due to the fact that simplified machining operations may be resorted to and the parts 'very readily assembled into cooperative relationship.

Forming the clip shown in Figure 4 of round stock metal and forcing the prongs thereof into the inclined openings and upsetting the ends thereof, or spot-Welding the same, greatly reduces 4 the cost of manufacture and materially adds to the ruggedness of the joint in resisting excessive strains.

The interlocking engagement between parts of the clips and the couplers, as shown in Figures 9 and 13, increases the rigidity of the connections between the clips and the couplers and further facilitates the assemblage operation.

The novel construction of the cover not only facilitates the mounting of the cover upon the joint, but also provides more efficient lubrication of the parts. The design of the clamp and its relationship with the cover and the couplers assure a tight fit and proper support of the cover and materially reduce the cost of manufacture.

What I claim is:

1. A universal joint comprising: a pair of cylindrical couplers; a ball; a pair of clips adjustably connecting the ball to the couplers; and a flexible cover for said ball; each of said couplers consisting of a cylindrical tube having a circumferential groove receiving the ends of one clip and a head provided with a concavity in the front face thereof, said ball seated in the concavities of said heads and provided with intersecting .circular grooves; each of said clips consisting of paralleling prongs attachably and detachably connected to the head of one of said couplers and having a yoke portion seated in one of the grooves of said ball; said flexible covering enclosing said heads and said ball and having interiorly arranged lubrication splashing ribs and further having beads seated in the grooves of said cylinder and abutting the clip ends therein, and split rings for holding the ribs in said grooves.

2. A universal joint comprising: a pair of couplers each having a head provided with a concavity and a pair of holes inclining relative to each other; a ball seated in the concavities of said heads and having intersecting circumferentially extending grooves; and a clip for each coupler of U-shaped formation having a yoke portion adjustably mounted in a groove of the ball and substantially paralleling prongs sprung into position within the inclined holes of said head and having its end portions upset and secured against an external peripheral surface of the associated head of the coupler.

FREDERICK C. GOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Sept. 7, 1920 

